Antivirals with common targets against highly pathogenic viruses

Historically, emerging viruses appear constantly and have cost millions of human lives. Currently, climate change and intense globalization have created favorable conditions for viral transmission. Therefore, effective antivirals, especially those targeting the conserved protein in multiple unrelated viruses, such as the compounds targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, are urgently needed to combat more emerging and re-emerging viruses in the future, Here we reviewed the development of antivirals with common targets, including those against the same protein across viruses, or the same viral function, to provide clues for development of antivirals for future epidemics.

Automated summary

Throughout history, emerging viruses have constantly appeared and have resulted in millions of human deaths. Climate change and globalization have now created favorable conditions for viral transmission. Thus, the development of effective antivirals, particularly those targeting conserved proteins in multiple unrelated viruses, is urgently needed to combat future emerging and re-emerging viruses.